The multi-faceted dimensions for the disclosure quality of non-financial information in revising directive 2014/95/EU

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona Fiandrino ◽  
Melchior Gromis di Trana ◽  
Alberto Tonelli ◽  
Antonella Lucchese
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Financial Information ◽  
Public Consultation ◽  
Disclosure Quality ◽  
Consultation Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Procedure

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to provide the state of the art in the academic and professional debate on the disclosure quality of NFI. This analysis is driven by the need to feature the dimensions of NFI quality that should be considered to improve the current regulatory framework towards a more transparent disclosure.Design/methodology/approachThe research is an integrative literature review that assesses and synthesizes the scientific knowledge and the annexed documents collected during the public consultation for the Review of Non-financial Reporting Directive (NFRD) on the disclosure quality of non-financial information (NFI).FindingsFindings show that there is a common consensus between scientific literature and the annexed documents of the consultation process on the Review of the NFRD on the need to enhance a double-materiality perspective, to provide specific contents on sustainability issues, to clarify the relevance of NFI, and to embed NFI into the management report in an integrated manner. Furthermore, there is an alignment related to timeliness in favour of a risk management procedure and a forward-looking approach.Research limitations/implicationsThe research engages the debate on the NFI disclosure quality, in light of the recent Review of NRFD and the new Proposal of Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive that extends and enhances the non-binding reporting guidelines of NFI.Practical implicationsThe research provides a dashboard of the dimensions of NFI disclosure quality that aggregates the academics' and practitioners' knowledge systematically. It shows the interplay between the scholarly developments and the recent measures arisen in the consultation process to undertake NFI disclosure quality.Originality/valueThe research provides a lens to analyse, classify and interpret the insights emerged during the consultation process of the NFRD.

It is not always bad news

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 1319-1348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary-Anne McNally ◽  
Warren Maroun
Keyword(s):  
Impression Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Value Creation ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Management Control ◽  
Financial Information ◽  
Accounting System ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Reporting

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to challenge the notion that non-financial reporting is mainly about impression management or is only a superficial response to the hegemonic challenges posed by the sustainability movement. It focuses on the most recent development in sustainability reporting (integrated reporting) as an example of how accounting for financial and non-financial information has the potential to expand the scope of accounting systems, promote meaningful changes to reporting processes and provide a broader perspective on value creation. Design/methodology/approach The research focuses on an African eco-tourism company which has its head office in South Africa. A case study method is used to highlight differences in the presentation of an integrated business model according to the case entity’s integrated reports and how individual preparers interpret the requirement to prepare those reports. Data are collected using detailed interviews with all staff members involved in the preparation process. These are complemented by a review of the minutes of the company’s sustainability workshops and integrated reports. Findings A decision by the case organisation to prepare an integrated report gives rise to different forms of resistance which limits the change potential of the integrated reporting initiative. Resistance does not, however, preclude reform. Even when individual preparers are critical of the changes to the corporate reporting environment, accounting for financial and non-financial information expands the scope of the conventional accounting system which facilitates broader management control and promotes a more integrated conception of “value”. Research limitations/implications Integrated reporting should not be dismissed as only an exercise in corporate reporting and disclosure; it has a transformative potential which, given time, can enable new ways of managing business processes and articulating value creation. Originality/value This study answers the calls for primary evidence on how the requirement or recommendation to prepare an integrated report is being interpreted and applied by individual preparers. The findings add to the limited body of interpretive research on the change potential of new reporting frameworks. In doing so, the research provides theoretical support for developing arguments which challenge the conventional position that integrated reporting is little more than an exercise in impression management.

Consequences of corporate sustainability reporting: evidence from an emerging market

2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 243-265
Author(s):  
RMNC Swarnapali
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Firm Value ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Earnings Quality ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Market Value ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainability Disclosure

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discover whether corporate sustainability disclosure has a potential impact on the market value and earnings quality of firms in an emerging market. Design/methodology/approach The data were collected from 220 companies listed in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) in Sri Lanka during the period 2012-2016. Firm value proxies by Tobin’s Q, while earnings quality proxies by discretionary accruals (DAC). The study is premised on value-enhancing theory for firm value and transparent financial reporting perspective for earnings quality. Regression analyses are executed on the panel data to achieve the study objectives. Findings The results reveal a positive relationship between sustainability reporting (SR) and firm market value, accepting the value-enhancing theory while rejecting the value-destroying theory. This finding suggests that investors pay a premium in the financial markets for firms that perform in an environmentally and socially responsible manner, compared to firms that do not perform in a similar manner. In the same vein, the results reveal that sustainability disclosure and DAC are negatively and significantly associated, resulting in high-quality earnings. The result is consistent with the transparent financial reporting hypothesis, which is also in line with the managers’ integrity motivation. Originality/value This is the first study investigating the consequences of SR that is specific to the Sri Lankan context. Owing to the sparse studies on consequences of SR, this study contributes significantly to the extant literature by broadening the geographical coverage to include a developing country setting.

Revising the Non-Financial Reporting Directive and the role of board of directors: a lost opportunity?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona Cosma ◽  
Rossella Leopizzi ◽  
Lorenzo Nobile ◽  
Paola Schwizer
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Probit Model ◽  
Public Consultation ◽  
Board Members ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Upper Echelons Theory

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to shed light an important limit of the Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD) in pursuit of its substantial purpose, which is to achieve sustainability and contribute to achieving the objectives of United Nation (UN) Agenda 2030; the paper also suggests how to overcome those limits.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a survey of board members of listed and un-listed Italian companies. Data were analysed using an ordered probit model.FindingsThe results show that a greater involvement of a board member in the non-financial reporting process is associated with a stronger commitment towards sustainable development. Specifically, the involvement in materiality assessment is positively associated with more proactive behaviours towards sustainability.Research limitations/implicationsThe use of self-reported assessments on beliefs and behaviours and the application of an online survey are methodology limitations of the study. Regarding theory, the study contributes to the literature on corporate governance and sustainability, integrating upper echelons theory, which focuses on how individual attributes influence a firm's strategies and governance, with research on how leadership practices can have a positive impact on corporate sustainability goals.Practical implicationsThe paper underscores the opportunity for policymakers to increase the effectiveness of the NFRD through deeper involvement of the board members in the process of non-financial reporting. The results could also be of interest to governance bodies in terms of defining a board's tasks and practices to encourage the adoption of behaviours oriented towards a stronger engagement in sustainable issues.Originality/valueThis is the first study to provide evidence of the relationship between individual directors' tasks and behaviours, non-financial reporting and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study highlights some of the limits of the NFRD, even after the public consultation to revise it, and suggests how to overcome these limits.

The effect of gender composition in joint audits on earnings management

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 549-574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fan-Hua Kung ◽  
Yu-Shan Chang ◽  
Minting Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Financial Information ◽  
Real Earnings Management ◽  
Gender Composition ◽  
Institutional Setting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Empirical Results ◽  
Industry Expertise

Purpose This paper aims to examine the association between gender composition of joint auditor pairs and the quality of reported financial information. More specifically, the authors attempt to assess whether and how these gender compositions affect the client firms’ earnings management behavior. Design/methodology/approach The authors utilized the unique institutional setting of Taiwan, where joint auditors are required by law. They studied the effect of gender in joint auditor pairs on accrual earnings management and real earnings management to achieve financial reporting objectives. Findings Empirical results indicate that engaging a woman as the lead auditor can constrain accrual earnings management, regardless of whether the joint auditor is male or female. The authors also found that all-male signing auditor pairs with industry expertise can significantly reduce accrual earnings management. The authors also documented that all-female signing auditor pairs and auditor industry expertise could drive clients to engage in real earnings management activities as an alternative to accrual earnings management. Originality/value The empirical results demonstrate that gender indeed plays a role in the quality of client’s reported financial information. Female auditors in a lead position and male auditors with industry expertise tend to be more successful in delivering better-quality audits.

scholarly journals Voluntary coercion? Conditions for sustainable reporting by small and medium-sized enterprises

2021 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 91-110
Author(s):  
Przemysław Mućko ◽  
Andrzej Niemiec ◽  
Wanda Skoczylas
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Financial Information ◽  
Reporting Standard ◽  
Information Research ◽  
The One ◽  
Medium Enterprises

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the determinants and possibilities of dis-seminating sustainability reporting among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on the basis of the accounting theory, legal regulations, and the opinions of SME representa-tives. Methodology/approach: A review of the literature and other sources. Cluster analysis, the k-means method, and the one-way ANOVA test were used to prepare the results of the survey conducted through AAP. Findings: Only stakeholder theory provides explanations that are useful for identifying the determinants of the dissemination of sustainability reporting among SMEs. The major-ity of SMEs are indirectly obliged to report, as a result of maintaining relationships with entities that are required to report non-financial information on the entire value chain. In our survey, we identified two groups. The first represents skeptics. They do not report non-financial information and do not support the introduction of a single, simplified, EU sus-tainability reporting standard for SMEs. The second group believes that SMEs should report non-financial data. They are usually entities that already report such information. Research limitations/implications: The limitations of the study are due to sample se-lection and size. In the implications, we emphasized the advantages of indirectly obliging SMEs to report non-financial information by requiring that their key stakeholders collect such information. Originality/value: The article fills a gap in the literature by providing empirical research on non-financial reporting in SMEs. Keywords: non-financial reporting, corporate sustainability reporting, small and medium enterprises.

scholarly journals Social responsibility reporting standards

2021 ◽  
pp. 27-43
Author(s):  
Ana Rep ◽  
Nikolina Dečman
Keyword(s):  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Public Interest ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Financial Information ◽  
Csr Reporting ◽  
Voluntary Standards ◽  
Sustain Ability ◽  
Corporate Social

It is well known that today, in addition to already established financial reporting, multi-national companies are paying more and more attention to non-financial reporting on social, eco-nomic, environmental and governmental issues. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reporting is still predominantly voluntary, and it is not standardized. However, there are various international organizations which have been developing frameworks and voluntary standards for non-financial reporting. Those organizations have been putting a sizable amount of effort, time, and knowledge in order to offer some specific solutions to interested organizations preparing CSR reports. Pro-posed standards, guidelines, and frameworks serve as tools for simplifying CSR reporting. In that sense, the most important providers of sustainability reporting guidance, such as GRI, OECD, United Nations Global Compact, International Organization for Standardization, certainly stand out. A significant contribution to promoting the importance of sustainability reporting was also made by the Non-Financial Reporting Directive (2014/95/EU) which obliged large public interest companies with over 500 employees to disclose certain non-financial information. According to the analysis of the content and scope of the most important frameworks and standards of sustain-ability reporting, it can be confirmed that they have certainly contributed to improving the quality of non-financial reporting.

Voluntary versus mandatory non-financial disclosure

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 781-802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Doni ◽  
Silvio Bianchi Martini ◽  
Antonio Corvino ◽  
Michela Mazzoni
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Financial Information ◽  
Communication Process ◽  
Initial Assessment ◽  
Financial Reports ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
European Directive ◽  
Ex Post

Purpose The recent European Union Directive 95/2014 enforced a radical shift from voluntary to mandatory disclosure of non-financial information. Given radical changes in reporting practices, there is an urgent need to assess the firms’ attitude to disclose non-financial information regarding the new requirement. This paper aims to investigate whether the quantity and quality of non-financial information, voluntarily disclosed in the years before the directive came into force, were linked to the level of compliance. Design/methodology/approach Selecting a sample of 60 Italian companies from the obliged entities, the authors carried out a manual content analysis on corporate reports and developed some research hypotheses to explore if their sustainability practices can affect non-financial disclosures required by the Italian adoption of the European directive (i.e. Legislative Decree 254/2016). Findings Evidence showed that prior skills and competencies in non-financial reporting made a significant contribution especially regarding to the presence of business model, but further efforts are expected to improve the quality of non-financial reports. Practical implications This study yields an initial assessment of the implementation of the European directive in Italy. It may, therefore, help policymakers to identify ways to improve the harmonization of reporting practices. Preparers can also be supported in choosing different positioning of reporting on non-financial information. Originality/value This research provides interesting insights into the ex ante and ex post adoption of the European directive by investigating how Italian companies are reacting to regulatory and institutional requirements. One of the main problems remains the lack of a shared understanding of the term “non-financial”, which can make the communication process difficult and unclear.

Auditors’ perceptions of the impact of continuous auditing on the quality of Internet reported financial information in Egypt

2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hala M. G. Amin ◽  
Ehab K. A. Mohamed
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Financial Information ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Continuous Auditing ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Big 4 ◽  
Audit Firms ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions of auditors in Egypt toward the role that continuous auditing (CA) can play in offsetting the challenges facing the quality of Internet-reported financial information. The paper also examines the impact of audit firm type and years of experience on these perceptions. Design/methodology/approach – Ninety-six auditors working in the Big 4 and large local audit firms are surveyed to attain their perceptions on the issues examined. Chi-square, Mann–Whitney and t-test are used to test the research hypotheses. Findings – The overall results indicate that the majority of auditors in Egypt agree that implementing CA can offset the challenges associated with the Internet financial reporting (IFR) environment. The results also reveal that there are significant differences between auditors working in Big 4 audit firms and those working in local firms regarding the perceptions of the effect of CA on some aspects of the timeliness of information. Research limitations/implications – The paper extends the stream of research on both CA and IFR that confirms that the widespread use of the Internet in disclosing financial information continues to be a worrisome problem for auditing firms. Practical implications – The paper provides insights into the challenges facing auditing in the IFR environment and how implementing CA can help offset these challenges. Originality/value – To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first to examine issues related to CA in the IFR environment in the Middle East and, in particular, Egypt.

Sustainability reporter classification matrix: explaining variations in disclosure quality

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 334-352
Author(s):  
Muhammad Bilal Farooq ◽  
Ammad Ahmed ◽  
Muhammad Nadeem
Keyword(s):  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Legitimacy Theory ◽  
Disclosure Quality ◽  
Lower Quadrant ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Report Quality ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Sustainability Reports ◽  
Quality Reports

Purpose The purpose of this study is to develop a sustainability reporter classification matrix (hereafter referred to as the “matrix”) to explain why some reporters publish better-quality sustainability reports than others and why some reporters experience improvements in the quality of their sustainability reports while others experience no improvement or a decline in sustainability report quality. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on the existing literature, which is analysed using a combination of legitimacy theory (i.e. commitment to sustainability reporting) and resource-based view (RBV, i.e. competencies in sustainability reporting). Findings A two-dimensional matrix is developed representing organisations’ competencies in (explained using the RBV) and commitment to (explained using legitimacy theory) sustainability reporting. Based on these two dimensions the matrix identifies four reporter classifications: incompetent uncommitted reporters (who publish low-quality reports); competent uncommitted reporters (who publish average-quality reports); incompetent committed reporters (who publish average-quality reports); and competent committed reporters (who publish high-quality reports). The matrix explains how reporters can transition from one quadrant/classification to another and how this transition can be either forward (moving from a lower quadrant to a higher quadrant), resulting in improvements in report quality, or backward (moving from a higher quadrant to a lower quadrant), leading to a deterioration in disclosure quality. Originality/value The study builds on the extant literature, combining legitimacy theory with the RBV, to provide a more complete explanation for why organisations publish sustainability reports of varying quality and why this quality varies over time. These insights can also be used to explain variations in the quality of integrated reports. The matrix may prove useful to practitioners as a tool for classifying reporters, identifying issues, assessing risk and tracking progress made.

Examining financial information reporting and behavior of listed companies in Iran

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 945-962
Author(s):  
Roya Izi ◽  
Mansour Garkaz ◽  
Parviz Sayeedi ◽  
Alireza Matoufi
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Listed Companies ◽  
Financial Information ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Behavioral Characteristics ◽  
Statistical Population ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe purpose of this research paper is to provide a model for reporting quality of financial information based on behavior of listed companies in Tehran Stock Exchange which is based on structural equation modeling approaches.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses applied research and postsemi experimental method of data collection in the field of proofing accounting research with deductive–inductive approach. The statistical population of this study includes the sample of 128 listed companies in the Tehran Stock Exchange between 2007 and 2017. The behavioral characteristics of managers (hidden variables) are measured by observable variables of myopia, opportunistic behavior and overconfidence of managers. Reporting quality of financial information is also investigated based on the scores accrued to each company and the announcement published by the Tehran Stock Exchange based on the companies' rating in terms of the quality of reporting and proper notification.FindingsAfter insuring the acceptable fitness of the measurement pattern and the structure of research in both approaches, structural equations modeling and regression, the results indicate that there is a significant negative relationship between the behavioral characteristics of managers and the reporting quality of financial information.Originality/valueAccountants have a critical and difficult responsibility of dealing with transactions and presenting them in the form of financial reports that can be used by interest groups to assess the performance of companies. This critical responsibility becomes meaningful when professional and ethical behaviors are the basis for disclosure of financial reporting. Based on the behavioral characteristics of disclosing financial reporting in emerging capital markets such as Iran, this study can be successful in developing new and theoretical literature in this field.

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